Object of the week- Temple Newsam’s floral suite

A spectacularly colourful feature of Temple Newsam House’s beautiful picture gallery, this lavish floral suite is usually covered to protect it from the sun.

The stunning collection of chairs and sofas was commissioned more than 300 years ago and supplied to Temple Newsam by James Pascall, a noted guilder, carver and frame maker.

Each of the chairs and sofas, as well as a lavish daybed, first came to Temple Newsam House in 1746, upholstered with a distinctive pattern which helped them play a key role in the picture gallery’s original indoor garden theme where they created a border of flowers around the room.

To protect its delicately embroidered textiles from the sun’s rays, the suite is usually carefully covered up.

But the furniture was recently displayed for the first time in eight years as the house marked the 300th birthday of renowned landscape architect Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.

A world-famous designer, Brown made a plan for plan for ‘intended alterations’ at Temple Newsam in 1762.

While some ‘Brownifications’ were finished, the complete plan for Temple Newsam never came to fruition because of the death of Charles, the 9th Viscount in 1778.

Councillor Brian Selby, Leeds City Council’s lead member for museums and galleries, said:

“The long history of Temple Newsam features so many intriguing characters and stories, and that is reflected so perfectly in the breathtakingly colourful and varied collection of objects and antiquities contained within the house’s walls.”

For more details about Temple Newsam including opening times and admission, please visit: www.leeds.gov.uk/museumsandgalleries/Pages/Temple-Newsam.aspx

ENDS